Environmental Encyclopedia | Environmental topics

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Waste Management

( Article Type: Overview )

What is waste? The exact definition of waste is, however, the topic of an ongoing debate because of an increasing global trend to reduce, re-use, rework, recycle, recover, so-called ‘waste’ products.

Water is a fugitive natural resource, changing between solid, liquid and gaseous forms that are linked via the hydrological cycle (see Figure 1) that move freely in time and space. Planet Earth is the only known place where water occurs in liquid for

Water conflict

( Article Type: Explanation )

Fresh water is an important natural resource for the survival and economic development of humankind. It is also a scarce resource.

Water ~ Urban Run-off

( Article Type: Explanation )

By losing its capacity to retain soil moisture, a city – in a sense – loses its capacity to ‘sweat’ and cool itself. Such urban heat islands could be from 0.5°C to 1°C warmer than surrounding rural areas.

Wave Energy

( Article Type: Explanation )

The marine environment is the next major frontier for the harnessing of energy, with vast amounts of energy potentially available in the waves (driven by the wind) and tides (driven by the moon) of the seas worldwide.

Wetlands

( Article Type: Explanation )

Wetlands (vleis, bogs, swamps, sponges or marshes) are vital ecosystems, which have been described as some of the most productive in the world.

Wilderness Area

( Article Type: Explanation )

Under the IUCN’s Framework for Protected Areas the highest form of protection an area can achieve is a Wilderness Area.

Wildlife

( Article Type: Overview )

What is wildlife? Is it the Big Five? Does it include scorpions, spiders and creepy crawlies? Or does wildlife include both animals and plants? Before considering what wildlife really is, perhaps we should recognise that the term ‘wildlife’ is on

Wildlife Management

( Article Type: Overview )

The future of private and public wildlife management (or any combination of the two) and their contribution towards an African Conservation Strategy will rest on mixing ecology, economy and social responsibility in order to achieve an equitable tripl

Wind Farming

( Article Type: Explanation )

The theory and practice of using wind energy to do work for mankind is well known and tested. It has been used for centuries, for the purpose of milling, water pumping and many other applications.